Elon 6, North Carolina Central 3
ELON, N.C. – Tomeka Watson went 2-for-3 and hit her 11th home run of the season to help the Elon softball team defeat North Carolina Central today, March 20, 6-3. The Phoenix improved to 11-11 on the season while the Lady Eagles fell to 2-21.
Kayla Caruso (5-4) earned the win after pitching 4.0 shutout innings in relief for Elon and scattered three hits with three strikeouts. Starter Eve Clausen went 3.0 innings with and allowed three runs, none earned, on two hits and a strikeout.
Watson had two RBI on the afternoon and moved closer to the program’s all-time career record in both hits and RBI. The senior outfielder is now four hits away from tying Dani Concepcion’s (2002-05) 229 career mark and is five RBI away from Debbie Zegler’s (2005-08) mark of 122.
Elon allowed the Lady Eagles’ first two batters to reach on in the top of the first, but a great defensive play by shortstop Emily Cameron rescued the Phoenix from early trouble. Cameron caught an Amber Kirkland liner and flipped it over to second for the double play. Clausen induced the next batter to pop up to end the inning.
Watson’s two-run home run got Elon on the scoreboard first in the bottom half of the inning. The blast to left center scored Carleigh Nester, who reached earlier after drawing a free pass, to give the maroon and gold a 2-0 lead after one.
After a scoreless second, the Lady Eagles were able to take advantage of some Elon miscues and plate three runs in the top of the third. NCCU’s Martha Batie drew a one out walk and was able to advanced to second after an error on the second baseman, giving London Germ a clean fielder’s choice. Nadia Jefferies doubled to left field to score Batie and advanced to third on another Phoenix error in the next at bat that scored Germ to tie the game at 2-2. Jefferies would give the Lady Eagles the lead on a passed ball, 3-2, before Elon escaped the inning trailing by one.
The deficit would be short lived in the bottom half of the third as Elon added two runs to retake the lead. Lauren Oldham doubled into left center to lead off the inning and moved to third on a Nester sacrifice bunt. Oldham would cross home plate on a Camille Hill sacrifice fly into center to tie the game at 3-3. Watson followed with a double into right center and scored later on a Cameron two-bagger to left center to give Elon a 4-3 advantage.
Caruso relieved Clausen in the top of the fourth and proceeded to set down the Lady Eagles in order. The Phoenix would take advantage in the bottom and added two more runs off the bat of Nester as she hit a two-out double into right center to score Sarah Little and Oldham. Elon would load the bases after Watson was intentionally walked, but N.C. Central forced Cameron into a fielder’s choice with Watson out at second.
The Lady Eagles led off the top of the fifth with a bunt single to third, but third baseman Johanna Spencer recorded the second double play of the game on the next at bat. Spencer caught a Germ foul ball and fired the ball across the infield to first to throw out Batie. After allowing a single, Caruso retired the side on a Joy Simpson popup.
Elon threatened in the bottom of the fifth with runners in scoring position and two outs. Grace Eng and Little both reached on singles and advanced to second and third, respectively, on a Caitlin O’Shea ground out to second. Both would be stranded however as the Phoenix flied out on the next at bat.
The Lady Eagles would not get another extra base hit for the remainder of the game as Elon came away with its second win in a row.
N.C. Central’s London Booker (1-15) took the loss for the Lady Eagles after pitching all 6.0 innings and allowing eight hits and four runs, three earned.
The maroon and gold travel to the Sunshine State for the FAU Parents Weekend Tournament on March 23-24, in Boca Raton, Fla. Elon will open the tournament against Dartmouth at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
ETSU 3, Western Carolina 0
Western Carolina 8, ETSU 1
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball (9-18) split a doubleheader with ETSU (8-16) dropping the first game 3-0 and bouncing back to win the second game 8-1 Wednesday at the Catamount Softball Complex.
Both teams were able to snap losing streaks in the pair of games. ETSU snapped a nine-game losing streak with the victory in the first game while Western Carolina stopped a four-game slide with the win in the second game.
ETSU 3, Western Carolina 0
An error riddled top of the first plagued the Catamounts in the opening game of the doubleheader. Western Carolina committed three errors and gave up a pair of runs to set the tone for the game.
Freshman hurler Taylor Sigmon got the starting nod in the game, and pitched a stellar complete game, but couldn’t overcome the Catamounts’ errors. Sigmon fanned a career-high 10 batters in the contest besting her nine strikeouts she posted against then No. 5 Florida on February 16. Sigmon falls to 0-3 on the season.
Western Carolina out-hit the Buccaneers six to four, and had a key scoring chance in the bottom of the sixth but couldn’t push a runner across. With one out, Sigmon picked up her second hit of the game and moved to second on an ETSU passed ball and moved on to third on a ground out by senior Jordan Fulton. A pop up to the short stop by freshman Karley Harkey ended the inning.
ETSU added a run in the top of the seventh when Bethany Cowart led off with a triple and scored when Jenine Duncan reached on a Catamount error and Cowart scored on the play.
Western Carolina 8, ETSU 1
The Catamounts didn’t waste anytime getting on the scoreboard in the second game after being shutout in game one. With one out, Megan Crowe doubled to right field the first of two doubles for her in the game. Sophomore catcher Heather Chastain reached first when the ETSU shortstop attempted a sweeping tag on Crowe, as she moved to third, and missed the tag. With runners at the corners, Sigmon launched a three-run homerun to left field to give the Catamounts the early lead.
Sigmon’s homerun was her fourth on the season which ties for the team lead.
After Sigmon’s homerun, Western Carolina would tack on one more run when Amber Steinhardt doubled, Shemekia Scotton hit a bunt single and Fulton was hit by a pitch to load the base. Amber Kimrey walked, with bases loaded, to score Steinhardt. ETSU pulled off a double play to end the inning.
With the early 4-0 lead, sophomore pitcher Jordan Garrett got in the zone and took over the game. She had nine strikeouts in the game allowing one run and giving up six hits. She improves to 7-8 on the season. Garrett also has 130 strikeouts this season which continues to lead the Southern Conference.
ETSU picked up a run in the top of the third inning but Western Carolina got the run right back scoring a run in the bottom of the third. Steinhardt led off the Catamounts half of the third with a single to left center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Scotton. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Steinhardt scored on an RBI single by Fulton.
After giving up a run in the third, Garrett tossed four scoreless innings and Western Carolina scored in two of the final four innings.
Western Carolina added a run in the fourth inning. Amelia Griffin led off the fourth with a walk and advanced to second a sacrifice bunt by Crowe. Griffin motored to third on a passed ball and scored off an RBI single by Sigmon.
The Catamounts closed out its scoring with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Fulton led off the inning with a walk and Kimrey singled to center field. With two outs, Crowe hit her second double in the game, a ball hit so hard it barely missed going over the right centerfield wall kissing the lip of the wall and falling back in. Fulton and Kimrey scored on the two RBI double by Crowe.
Western Carolina had 12 hits in the game with Sigmon going 2-for-4 with four RBI and scoring a run.
Chattanooga 5, Murray State 4
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team (16-14, 1-2 SoCon) defeated Murray State 5-4 Wednesday afternoon at Frost Stadium in extra innings. Junior Stephanie Rieck (Chandler, Ariz.), along with driving in all five of Chattanooga’s runs and launching her first career home run against the Racers, delivered the walk-off hit to lift the Lady Mocs to victory in the eighth inning.
Things didn’t start so well for the Lady Mocs as the Racers drew first blood. Murray State scored a run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead that would stand until the fourth inning. Rieck put Chattanooga on the board with a double to right center – her first extra-base hit of the game. The two-bagger plated Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.) and tied the game at 1-1.
Both teams were scoreless in the fifth inning, each recording one hit and unable to round third, but Murray State regained the lead in the top of the sixth. Starting pitcher Taylor Deason (Clarksville, Tenn.) hit a rough patch, giving up three hits and a run in the inning, but was able to work out of a jam and keep the damage to a minimal, 2-1.
Rieck propelled the Lady Mocs into the lead in the bottom half of the sixth with a three-run home run over the right field fence, her first career home run, on a laser shot into the stands. With Ninjja Suetsugu (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Tyler Templet (Woodstock, Ga.) and Rieck scoring on the play, Chattanooga took a 4-2 advantage.
The Racers were able to battle back in the seventh to keep the game alive, scoring two more runs on two hits off Deason to tie the game at 4-4. Deason exited the game after six full and Rachel Albritton (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) was brought on to work out of the jam.
Chattanooga was scoreless in the bottom of the seventh and the Racers went quietly in the top of the eighth, but the Lady Mocs took full advantage of Templet at second as the tie-breaking runner. Suetsugu flied out to lead off the inning, but Rieck delivered for Chattanooga with a single up the middle – improving to 3-for-4 on the day – to drive in the walk-off run.
The walk-off is the second this season for the Lady Mocs at Frost Stadium and could provide momentum going into the weekend as UTC hosts Appalachian State for its first Southern Conference matchup at home of the season.
The Lady Mocs and Mountaineers meet Saturday for a double header, beginning at 1 p.m., before wrapping up the series Sunday at 4 p.m. at Frost Stadium.
Ole Miss 3, Samford 0
OXFORD, Miss. ---- Samford had the potential game-tying run at the plate in the seventh inning but was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, falling 3-0 to Ole Miss in a Wednesday road contest.
Samford (9-15, 1-5 SoCon) would muster just four hits, only moving three runners into scoring position. Shelby Scott (0-5) started the game, allowing three runs, two earned, to take the loss while Caitlin Bice threw 3.0 shutout innings behind her only allowing two hits. Alex Adams went 0-3 at the plate, ending her hit streak at six games, the longest streak for any Bulldog this season.
Ole Miss (19-15, 1-5 SEC) scored three runs over the first three innings while Carly Hummel (8-8) held the Samford offense in check, throwing a complete-game shutout for her eighth win of the season.
Samford threatened to score immediately, as Callie Brister led off the top of the first with a single to shallow left and advanced all the way to third off consecutive passed balls. Later with two outs, Shelby Scott fouled off a number of two-strike pitches but ultimately struck out, stranding Brister at third to end the half-inning.
A walk, an error and a hit loaded the bases for Ole Miss in the bottom of the first with one out and a wild pitch moved them all up, scoring one to put the Rebels up 1-0. Scott bounced back and struck out the next two batters to end the inning and limit the damage to only one run.
Back-to-back doubles by Ole Miss in the bottom of the second added another run and they did the same in the third inning to move ahead 3-0. In the bottom of the fourth, Brister knocked down a ball in the hole on an infield single and Caroline Wilder turned a great double play, snagging a line drive and throwing to first to catch the runner off-base to end the inning.
Ole Miss could not capitalize on multiple fielding errors as the Bulldog defense and Bice in the circle ultimately held the deficit in check, trailing by 3-0 heading into the seventh inning. With two out in the inning, Bice and Wilder were both hit by a pitch to bring the potential tying run to the plate but a strikeout ended the game as another Bulldog comeback bid was cut short.
This weekend, Samford will host Western Carolina (8-17, 1-5 SoCon) in a three-game conference series. Due to continued construction on the Samford Softball Stadium, the three games will be played at UAB Softball Field.
The teams open with a double-header on Saturday, March 23 at 1 p.m. CT and conclude with a single game on Sunday, March 24 at 1 p.m. CT.
Winthrop 10, Appalachian State 4
Appalachian State 7, Winthrop 6
ROCK HILL, S.C. – With a heart-stopping 7-6 come-from-behind victory in the second game, Appalachian State University softball spilt a doubleheader with Winthrop Wednesday night at Terry Field.
With the split, Appalachian moves to 11-9 on the season with the conference schedule returning this weekend.
Game One: Winthrop 10, App State 4
Winthrop would be the first to light up the scoreboard as freshman Shivaun Landeros hit the first two batters of the inning then gave up a walk to load the bases early in the contest. The Eagles’ Chelsey Schoenfeldt drove in two runs with a single up the middle to take the 2-0 lead with no outs.
Appalachian would retire the final three outs of the inning without letting any more runs cross the plate as Landeros settled in and struck out one.
The Mountaineers came within one of Winthrop, as Lindsay Loudermilk tallied a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Dani Heichen in the top of the third inning.
Sophomore Ashley Seering added Appalachian’s second run in the top half of the fourth when she drove a pitch over the left field wall. For Seering, it was her second homerun and 10th RBI of the season.
Winthrop took its second lead of the game in the bottom half when two Eagle hits, highlighted by Kristy Noble’s single up the middle, scored two runs.
A leadoff walk to Chelsey Schoenfeldt would eventually result in a run as the designated player advanced to third on an App State error and came around to score when catcher Sarah Warnock caught Kathryn Eberlin stealing second.
Facing a 5-2 deficit, senior Allie Cashion led off the sixth inning and recorded her team-high fourth home run of the season over the left field wall. Meghan Smith followed Cashion with a single and eventually scored on a Winthrop error, bringing the score to 5-4.
Winthrop clinched the game in the bottom half, scoring five runs, highlighted by a Schoenfeldt three-run home run over the left field fence. For the game, Schoenfeldt went 3-for-3 with two runs and five RBI.
Warnock led the Appalachian offense as she went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Loudermilk added two hits and an RBI.
Landeros (4-4) suffered her fourth loss, striking out three and walking five in her fifth complete game of the season.
Game 2: App State 7, Winthrop 6
App State got on the scoreboard quickly as Cashion picked up where she left off, pounding a three-run home run over the left center wall, giving the Mountaineers the lead. With the blast, Cashion added to her team-high total of five home runs.
After a scoreless second inning, the Apps continued to add pressure in the third, as Loudermilk, Cashion and Smith recorded three-straight singles. Loudermilk eventually scored due to a Winthrop error, increasing the Mountaineer lead to 4-0.
The Black and Gold increased their lead in the top half of the fifth when Smith reached on a single. With two outs, Alex Sohl doubled into the left center gap, scoring Smith and extending the Appalachian lead to 5-0.
Winthrop struck back in bottom half as Melanie Andrea got the Eagles on the scoreboard with a two-run home run, the first of the season for Andrea. Winthrop added another run to close out the fifth, trailing the Apps by two.
After the Mountaineers could not plate any runners in the sixth, Winthrop took advantage in the bottom half, as Noble doubled in the left center gap, scoring three Eagle runners. Noble’s three RBI gave Winthrop the lead at the 6-5 mark.
Appalachian fought back in the top of the seventh as Loudermilk drew a lead off walk. After a Cashion strikeout, Smith doubled, scoring Loudermilk for the tying run.
With Seering flying out to right, Smith advanced to third and later scored on an Eagle error, giving the Apps the 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Sophomore pitcher Alissa Schoelkopf (7-4) shut the door and clinched the Appalachian victory, striking out two Winthrop batters in the bottom of the seven. For the game, Schoelkopf struckout seven and walked just three. With her outing, the sophomore earns her team-high seventh victory and her sixth straight win.
Smith led the Apps at the plate in game two as she went 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs, while Cashion went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Cashion's two home runs in the doubleheader bring her to five overall on the season and 36 in her career, which is eight away from Katie Boyd's record (44).
The Mountaineers return to Southern Conference play on Saturday, March 23 in Chattanooga. The opening game of the three-game set is schedule for 1 p.m.
Towson 1, UNCG 0
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball team allowed one hit to visiting Towson but it was a solo home run from senior Bina Abbott that proved to be the difference in a tough 1-0 loss Wednesday night at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
The Spartans fall to 21-5 on season, while Towson improves to 15-14-1 with the victory. It marks the third one-run loss for UNCG this year.
Katie Lingmai tossed a gem throwing a complete game three-hitter, allowing no earned runs with two strikeouts. Redshirt junior Raeanne Hanks (Rainier, Ore./Rainier Senior) earns a tough loss after allowing one earned run on one hit in a complete game effort with eight strikeouts.
In the top of the second, Bina Abbott hit her team-leading fourth home run of the season with one out to give Towson a 1-0 lead.
UNCG had an opportunity in the fifth inning after junior Toni MacReynolds (Vienna, Va./James Madison) broke up a no-hitter with a bunt single down the first base line. With one out, freshman Nicole Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) singled to first base to setup runners on first and second. Junior Aisha Figueroa (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes) worked a walk to load the bases. Freshman Danielle Vega (Rialto, Calif./Aquinas) fouled out to the catcher and classmate Lindsay Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) struck out swinging to end the threat.
In the seventh, MacReynolds flied out to center, while freshman Allison Geiner (Raleigh, N.C./Middle Creek) singled but was thrown out after being caught in a run-down from first to second. Figueroa ended the game with a fly out to center to give the Tigers the victory.
UNCG heads to cross-town rival North Carolina A&T for a doubleheader Thursday, March 21 at 2 p.m. at the Lady Aggie Softball Complex.